How long should I breastfeed my baby each time?
How long to breastfeed depends on your baby and factors such your baby's age, how efficient they are at nursing, and how fast your letdown reflex happens. A range is normal. A newborn may nurse for 10 to 15 minutes per side, for example, while an older baby may nurse just a few minutes per side.
What matters is the total amount of breast milk your baby gets over the course of the day and whether they're gaining enough weight. If you have concerns that your nursing sessions are too short or too long, talk to your baby's doctor or a lactation consultant.
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How long should a newborn nurse?
How long a newborn nurses is very individual. Many newborns breastfeed for 10 to 15 minutes on each breast, but they can also nurse for much longer, even up to an hour.
Talk to your doctor or lactation consultant if your newborn is regularly nursing for longer than 50 minutes, though. This may indicate that they aren't getting enough milk.
You'll know your newborn's nursing pattern is too short if they aren't gaining enough weight. Your baby's doctor will pay close attention to this – it's why weigh-ins are such an important part of well-baby appointments.
Factors that influence how long your baby will nurse include:
- How long it takes for your colostrum to change to mature milk, which usually happens about two to five days after birth
- How long it takes for your milk to reach your nipple (the letdown reflex). This can happen right away or after a few minutes.
- The rate of milk flow, which can be fast or slow
- How efficiently your baby nurses, which may be relatively fast or more leisurely
- If your baby has a proper latch, and is taking in breast tissue rather than just the nipple
- Whether your baby is sleepy or distracted
If your newborn baby falls asleep at the breast after just a few minutes of nursing, wake them up so they can have a full feeding – and reach the fattier, more satisfying milk that comes toward the end of a feeding.
To keep your baby awake and eating, gently tickle their feet or blow on their face. Or, strip your baby down to their diaper before your nursing session. Keeping them cooler may prevent them from falling asleep.
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What if my newborn is eating every hour?
Most newborns nurse eight to 12 times in 24 hours, or about every few hours. They don't keep a schedule, so they may eat for different amounts of time with shorter or longer breaks in between. This is normal, but you may get your newborn to nurse for longer sessions if you keep them from falling asleep during feedings.
If you notice that your baby is eating more frequently, even as often as every 30 minutes, they may be cluster feeding,which is especially common during growth spurts.
Some babies will nurse for shorter periods of time, but nurse more frequently. If your newborn is snacking all day, it can feel like all you do is nurse in the early weeks. Rest assured, this is par for the course – and as your baby gets older, this will change!
Is a 10-minute feed long enough for a newborn?
For older babies, a quick feeding for 10 minutes is normal, but for a newborn just learning to breastfeed, it may not be enough. Your newborn may not be getting enough milk and may be too tired or frustrated to continue.
Some babies will nurse for shorter periods of time, but nurse more frequently. They may nurse for a few minutes, then rest a few minutes before resuming nursing. They may even nap for a half hour or so and then wake up to nurse again.
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What matters is how much total breast milk your newborn is getting over the course of the day and whether they're gaining enough weight.
Call your baby's doctor or a lactation consultant immediately if there are any of these signs your baby isn't getting enough to eat:
- More than normal weight loss in a newborn. Babies lose up to 10 percent of their birth weight during the first 5 days of life. By 2 weeks, they should be back up to their birth weight.
- Fewer than five to six wet diapers in a 24-hour period once your baby is 5 days old.
- Fussiness or lethargy most of the time.
- Very short or very long nursing sessions. If your baby often nurses less than 10 minutes or more than about 50 minutes at a time, it may mean they aren't getting enough milk.
How long should an older baby breastfeed?
It depends on your baby. As babies get more experience breastfeeding, they become more efficient and take less time to eat. Older babies may take five to 10 minutes, or less, on each side. Short nursing sessions are normal – and perfectly fine unless your baby is having trouble gaining weight.
Some babies are snackers – they nurse for a minute or two, take a break, and then go back. Other babies can drain the breast in two minutes and be satisfied for a few hours. It depends on how much milk you're making and your let down, too.
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There's no harm in an older baby continuing to snack – as long as you're all right with it and it fits with your schedule. It can be challenging to meet the needs of a breastfeeding snacker, however, because nursing sessions will be more frequent.
If that's true for you, encourage your baby to lengthen feedings by lifting them back to your breast after that first pull-away to see if they'll keep eating. Sometimes all your baby needs is an extra burp and they'll nurse longer.
How long should you breastfeed on each side?
This can vary from feeding to feeding, and it depends on your baby. But you'll quickly get a sense of when you both are ready to switch sides.
Signs you're ready to switch to the other breast include:
- If your breasts were full before starting, they may feel softer
- Your baby may stop swallowing milk and release the nipple
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Many newborns nurse about 10 to 15 minutes on each side, but they may take much longer. A range is normal. Older babies may take five to 10 minutes or less on each side, but again – it varies.
Be sure to alternate breasts so that they get roughly the same amount of nursing time. This helps keep milk production steady on both sides.
Tip: Start on the opposite breast each time to make sure each breast gets fully drained. You can put a double breast pad on one side to remind yourself which side you're on.
Sometimes a baby will nurse on one breast only. If your baby is getting enough milk, you can successfully nurse from only one breast. If you feel like you're very full on the other side, you may want to pump for a few minutes. This will help maintain milk production from that breast and avoid engorgement.
